During a Hamilton Planning Commission meeting in August, citizens and officials urged the developers to repair the parking lots. A temporary fix has been made, by filling potholes in the main travel lanes, Williams said. Permanent, smooth pavement will come next year.
The company bought the 27.3-acre property for $2.3 million, he said.
“They’ve gone out and made the emergency repairs for the travel lanes and the potholes,” Williams said. “I think those were done a couple weeks ago.”
Architects are working on a master development plan for the property, as well as for a self-enclosed, mini-self-storage warehouse that is to be the first phase of the project, Williams said.
Other plans for the property including the clearing of most of the strip center for future development, with elimination of most of the existing parking lot. Also in the plans, but without tenants, are two proposed commercial buildings with street-level retail, offices on the second floor and possibly third-story condominiums above those. Developers also envision a drive-through restaurant and full-service car wash.
“When the snow melts, we hope to go to work,” Williams said.
The tenants, including Hamilton West Barbers, all remain that were there when Williams’ company bought it, he said.
Hamilton West Barbers, a 50-year-old business, recently purchased the former Chevron gasoline station and car wash next door at 186 North Brookwood, with plans to eventually move there, after a renovation.
Ryan Haynes, who owns the barber shop, said, “I’m in the process of getting it switched over to a barber shop. I’m waiting on the architects’ plan, so we’ll see. We don’t really have a timeline, as of yet.”
Haynes said he spoke with Williams, who told him they had a while to stay: “Hopefully, we can get the other one ready, and then transition over there.”
Senior Hamilton Planner Michael Ionna said Williams’ company complied with the city’s desire that the parking lot’s travel aisles be temporarily improved before a more permanent fix happens next year.
“This was an emergency patch, to get things reasonable,” Ionna said. “Basically, they prevented people from getting lost in those potholes.”
“The resurface is going to happen next year, when they re-do it,” he added. “We were happy they went out and have done something to address the problem. We know they are going to spend a lot more money when they do the second phase.”
“Is it super-smooth, like a brand new road? No,” Ionna said. “That said, it’s a lot better, I think.”
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